HRTS LAUNCHES ITS VIRTUAL NEWSMAKER LUNCHEON SERIES WITH “LAWRENCE O’DONNELL: THE STATE OF THE FREE PRESS” ON THURSDAY, OCTOBER 22
Emmy Award Winner Larry Wilmore to Moderate HRTS’ Premier Event
Luncheon Builds on HRTS’ Decades-long Tradition of Providing a Forum to Discuss the State of the Press
Los Angeles, CA (Oct. 15, 2020) — The Hollywood Radio and Television Society (HRTS), the entertainment industry’s premier information and networking forum, is hosting “LAWRENCE O’DONNELL: THE STATE OF THE FREE PRESS” as part of its tentpole NEWSMAKER LUNCHEON series on October 22, 12:30-2 PM PT it was announced today by Marc Korman, President of the HRTS Board of Directors and Partner and Agent, WME Entertainment, and HRTS CEO Melissa Grego. Emmy-award winner Larry Wilmore (Wilmore, Larry Wilmore: Black on the Air) will join O’Donnell to moderate the discussion and audience Q&A.
O’Donnell, Host of MSNBC’s “The Last Word with Lawrence O’Donnell,” will kick off the “HRTS Virtual” luncheon with an address to the HRTS. An intimate and candid discussion with O’Donnell and Wilmore will follow, in which they’ll explore the role of journalism during these unprecedented times of a global pandemic, racial unrest, and the crucial role of a free and independent press, as we head toward one of the most important presidential elections in modern times. Time will also be dedicated to member Q&A.
This special event builds on the HRTS tradition of providing a forum to discuss the state of the press that goes back decades and has featured some of the most prolific members of the press, including Tim Russert, Ted Koppel, David Brinkley, Sam Donaldson, and Brian Williams.
Marc Korman, HRTS Board President, and Partner & Agent, WME Entertainment; Pearlena Igbokwe, HRTS Board VP, and Chairman, Universal Studio Group; and Andy Friendly, Member of the HRTS Advisory Council, and President of Andy Friendly Productions, are co-chairs of the event.
“For more than seven decades, HRTS has been the pre-eminent information sharing and networking organization in the industry and has long been a platform for major broadcast journalists to voice their opinions on the current state of TV news and the important issues facing them,” said Marc Korman, President of the HRTS Board of Directors and Partner and Agent, WME Entertainment. “We welcome Lawrence O’Donnell, one of the most influential political commentators broadcasting today, and Larry Wilmore, a critical voice confronting tough issues through comedy and satire, to the HRTS stage.”
“LAWRENCE O’DONNELL: THE STATE OF THE FREE PRESS” is the first Newsmaker Luncheon under the “HRTS Virtual” programming series launched this year to connect and support HRTS members coast to coast and around the world in the face of the challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic. The HRTS Virtual programming slate includes virtual editions of other events the Society traditionally presents in person, including HRTS Unscripted, which presented the August event Getting Back Into Production: Scripted vs. Unscripted. It also includes new events tailored to the times, such as its most recent HRTS Virtual TV Storytellers: A Sense of Responsibility in a Time of Reckoning, and the off-the-record HRTS Brown Bag with the Board series, which has included sessions with the HRTS Executive Committee, Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Man’s Emmanuel Acho, and a focus on the international landscape with U.K.-based Board Members. The HRTS Associates and JHRTS membership segments also have ramped up their virtual event offerings on both coasts.
“This year, with the dedication of our Board of Directors and input from our members, HRTS has adapted and reimagined ways to serve and connect our community. I’m so incredibly grateful that we’ve been able to expand our programming with new formats to host high-impact, interactive conversations bringing members together regardless of location,” said Melissa Grego, CEO of HRTS. “Our Board has tirelessly led the pursuit of this transformation to provide a forum for discussion on issues that are important to our industry and society.”
Registration for the event is complimentary for current Individual Members of HRTS at all levels (HRTS Executive, HRTS Associate, JHRTS, and HRTS Academic), and expanded Corporate Member ticket benefits apply. A limited number of non-member tickets are also available to purchase for this event. Attendees may submit questions for the panel’s consideration during registration.
About HRTS
Since 1947, the Hollywood Radio & Television Society (HRTS) has been recognized as our industry’s premier information and networking forum. Led by a Board of Directors comprising TV, media, and entertainment’s most distinguished leaders and incorporating participation from the top companies across the landscape, HRTS maintains our 70-year tradition of providing an unparalleled forum for fostering conversation and community through regularly scheduled member events, a thriving mentorship program and other initiatives in Los Angeles, New York City and around the world. More information on the HRTS Board Members, Corporate Members, and calendar of events may be found at www.hrts.org.